Hyderabad, Telangana : BJP leader Prakash Reddy has voiced strong support for the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive in West Bengal, highlighting the issue of alleged illegal immigrants being included in the voter rolls. Speaking on the matter, Reddy said the democratic process in border states like West Bengal and Bihar is being compromised due to large-scale demographic changes.
“Crores of people from Bangladesh and other countries have entered India, enrolled as voters, and are now claiming citizenship,” Reddy alleged. He further claimed that illegal immigrants—particularly from Bangladesh and the Rohingya community from Burma—are affecting the integrity of elections. “Elections in some states are becoming a farce,” he added.
The Election Commission recently launched a Special Summary Revision of electoral rolls in certain areas to verify the authenticity of voter registrations. However, the move has faced opposition from several political parties, especially in West Bengal, who argue that the drive is discriminatory and politically motivated.
Reddy countered these criticisms by asserting that parties opposing the SIR initiative are those that “depend on illegal immigrants” for their vote bank. “The demographic change has become real, and the democratic process has been damaged. The EC’s efforts to clean up voter rolls should be welcomed,” he said.
He urged all political parties to rise above political interests and cooperate with the Election Commission. “In the interest of the country, all political parties should support the EC in preparing a proper voter list to ensure the survival of democracy,” Reddy concluded.
The debate over the SIR initiative is expected to intensify as political parties gear up for upcoming state and general elections.
